Harry's Strange Animagus Transformation
by Healer Pomfrey
Summary: Harry has a bad cold but no intention to miss Transfiguration - and ends up spending the weekend with Professor McGonagall. Set in Harry's sixth year, but ignoring events of book 6. Completely AU, partly OOC, sick!Harry


**Harry's strange Animagus Transformation**

When Harry woke up on this Friday morning in his sixth year at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, he noticed immediately that his nose was running, and his throat, ears, and head were sore. He groaned. '_Why did I have to become sick today? It's nearly the weekend, and today we only have Transfiguration, and McGonagall promised that we're going to try out the Animagus potion_,' he remembered, suddenly shivering violently.

Harry closed his eyes again and tried to relax, which was close to impossible with his splitting headache and his nose that couldn't decide if it wanted to run or to clog off, so that he could hardly breathe. All of a sudden, Ron's voice penetrated his ear.

"Harry, it's time to get up."

Harry lazily opened his eyes and mumbled something incoherent, causing his friend to let out a small gasp. "Harry, are you ill?" Ron asked in concern, giving his friend a piercing look.

"It's just a cold, and I'b dot going to biss Tradsfiguratiod," Harry replied, sounding very congested.

"Hold on, mate, I'm going to get Hermione," Ron told him and hurriedly left the room, only to return a few minutes later with Hermione in tow.

The girl sat down on the edge of Harry's bed and gently laid a hand on his forehead. "You're feverish, Harry, what's wrong?"

"It's odly a cold, but I feel horrible," Harry admitted in a small voice.

"Shall we take him to the hospital wing?" Ron threw in, giving Hermione a questioning look.

"Doe!" Harry contradicted vehemently. "I'd love sobe Pepper-up potiod, but I wod't go to the hospital wigg. What if she keeps be? I dob't wadt to biss Tradsfiguratiod."

Hermione sighed. "She'll most definitely keep you, considering that you seem to be running quite a fever. However, Madam Pomfrey is ill this week, and Professor Snape is responsible for the hospital wing."

"Oh no," Ron groaned. "He'd most definitely enjoy keeping you in bed, Harry."

"I think so," Harry groaned. "Cad you wake be up just id tibe for Tradsfiguratiod? Thed I could sleep a little bore."

"We will do that," Hermione promised and stood up, gently closing the curtains around his bed, before she left the room with Ron in tow.

Harry lay back and closed his eyes. '_Snape?_' he groaned inwardly. '_I feel bad enough to really consider seeing Madam Pomfrey after Transfiguration, but Snape? Under no circumstances I'm going to see him, even if it means to suffer through the whole weekend_.'

When his friends came to wake him up again, Harry slowly scrambled out of his bed, glad that Hermione steadied his arm, because he felt too dizzy to stand by himself. After a minute, the girl let go and waved her wand at Harry to exchange his pyjamas with his school clothes.

"Wow," Ron said in complete amazement. "Can you teach us how to do that? That was brilliant!"

"Thadks," Harry mumbled gratefully and dragged himself after his friends to the Transfiguration classroom, which they managed to enter just before Minerva closed the door.

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Knowing that the whole day was reserved for the Animagus potion, which would show the students what kind of animal they were going to become in case they managed the Animagus transformation, Minerva let the students take the potion one after another.

"Who wants to try it out first?" she asked, looking around, smiling when she saw that Hermione was the first to raise her hand as usual. "All right, Ms. Granger. Come here please." With a flick of her wand she transfigured a chair into a comfortable looking huge sofa. "Sit down here, drink the potion and lie down. The transformation might hurt at first," she advised the girl, and Hermione complied eagerly.

Two minutes later, a brown barn owl was sitting on the sofa, taking hesitantly a few unsteady steps on her bird feet, before she flapped her wings and tried to fly. Unfortunately, it didn't work and the owl merely managed to jump down on the floor, causing everyone to laugh.

"Well, if you manage the real Transformation, you'll have to learn to walk and fly," Minerva commented dryly and gently put her hand in front of the bird's feet on the floor.

The owl accepted the invitation and stepped onto the teacher's hand that took her back onto the sofa, where she automatically transformed back into her human form after a few minutes.

"Well done, Ms. Granger," Minerva commended the girl, who excitedly returned to her seat next to Harry.

"Mr. Potter, do you want to try next?" Minerva asked, and Harry nodded hesitantly. He stood up very slowly in order not to become too dizzy and walked over to the sofa. After gulping down the potion, he lay down, feeling extremely relieved when his head hit the sofa. Soon, the transformation began, and Harry closed his eyes in pain.

"A griffin," the professor's voice suddenly penetrated his sore ears, and Harry lazily opened his eyes, only to notice that his vision had expanded some. "Can you try to stand up and walk or show us your wings?" Minerva asked, getting worried when Harry merely shook his head.

'_Have to get up_,' Harry thought and tried to scramble onto his feet, failing miserably. Everything hurt, and he felt even more dizzy and feverish than before.

Minerva watched him in concern and even held out a hand to him, so that he could grab her arm with one or two of his legs in order to pull himself onto the other legs, but Harry just didn't have the energy and again failed to stand up. He let himself sink back onto the sofa in exhaustion and pain, hoping that it wouldn't take long until he transformed back.

"I don't know what is wrong," Minerva told the students in utter confusion. "I've never experienced this problem before."

Hermione walked over to where the professor was sitting on the edge of the sofa next to Harry and whispered, "Professor, Harry isn't feeling well today. Maybe he's just feeling too sick to comply, especially as the transformation might have hurt him additionally."

Minerva gave the griffin a piercing look. "Is that so?" she asked in concern.

Harry merely nodded, feeling extremely glad when he transformed back into his human form seconds later. Noticing that his cheeks were deeply flushed and that his breathing was laboured, Minerva gently helped him to sit up and led him straight into her office, where she quickly transfigured one of the chairs into a sofa and helped him to lie down. "Rest for a moment, Mr. Potter, I'll come back and look after you in a few minutes." With that, the teacher left the room and Harry gratefully closed his eyes.

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A short while later, Minerva came back after instructing Hermione to call her immediately if Ron, who was the next to try the potion, encountered any problems. She sat down on the edge of the sofa. "Harry, what's wrong with you?" she asked softly, seeing that the boy opened his glassy eyes.

"Is jus a cood," Harry mumbled, slurring the words.

"No, I don't think so," Minerva replied, placing a cold hand on his forehead.

"Fees good," Harry croaked, unconsciously leaning into the touch.

Minerva stood up, determined, and took a thermometer out of her desk's drawer. "Harry, I need to take your temperature," she informed him gently and helped him to sit up, before she motioned him to open his mouth.

Harry complied, shivering violently, when he felt the icy thing in his mouth. Minerva quickly conjured a cool cloth and carefully placed it on his forehead, before she told him, "Hold on Harry, I'll be back in a minute." She left for the classroom and, remaining in the doorframe, watched Ron running around in form of a squirrel until she heard the thermometer beep and went back to Harry.

"39.2, Harry; that's quite a fever. Why didn't you tell me that you were sick, before you took the potion and aggravated your condition even more?" she asked in a slightly reprimanding voice, sitting down on the edge of the sofa.

"I did't thikk it was so bad, add Herbiode told be that Madab Pobfey wasd't there adyway," Harry replied hoarsely.

Minerva took the cool cloth and gently bathed her student's face, considering what to do. '_His fever is too high for just a simple cold, but I can't let Poppy check on him, because she's still too ill to get up. There's only Severus, but considering his behaviour towards Harry, the boy will hardly agree_,' she mused. However, another glance at her student's flushed face convinced her that it was necessary to ask her colleague to check on him. Pearls of sweat were beginning to drip down from his temples, his half open eyes were glazed over, and his face was scrunched as if he was in pain.

"Harry, are you in pain?" she asked gently.

"Everythigg hurts," Harry replied miserably, "by head, by eyes, by ears, by throat, by dose, by hair, everythigg."

Minerva quickly fetched a Pepper-up Potion and a fever reducer from a shelf in the back of her office and made Harry swallow both, before she helped him to lie down again. "Harry, try to sleep for a while. I have to return to the classroom, but I'll leave the door open, and you can call me anytime, if you need me. If your condition doesn't improve by lunchtime, I'll ask Professor Snape to give you a check-up." She quickly conjured a small table next to the sofa, placing a pitcher of water and a pile of tissues on it along with Harry's glasses, which she gently took from him, and retired to the classroom.

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When Minerva returned to her office shortly before lunch break, Harry was fast asleep, snoring loudly. Careful as not to wake the boy up, she magically pulled his clothing down over his shoulder and stuck the thermometer under his armpit, considering once more if she had to call Severus, while she was impatiently waiting for the reading to finish. "40.8," she read, looking horrified at the display, before she strode to the fireplace to call her colleague.

Harry woke up to two voices right next to him, which he recognized as those of his Head of House and... '_Snape_,' Harry groaned inwardly, but felt too bad to get excited about the fact that the Potions professor was there to check on him.

"Don't you know that the Animagus potion shouldn't be taken by someone, who is sick?" Severus hissed.

"How could I know that?" Minerva asked back. "If I had known, I'd have asked the students beforehand if they were all feeling well."

Harry lazily opened his eyes and reached for his glasses, glad when Minerva gently put them into his hand.

"Apart from a bad cold, Potter is suffering from the Animagus fever and will have to remain in bed for a few days. I'm going to take him with me to the hospital wing," he heard Severus say.

"Doe!" Harry objected vehemently, struggling to sit up in panic. "I'll be fide, please let be stay id by dorbitory."

"You cannot return to your dormitory, because you have to be constantly monitored as long as your fever is so high," Severus sneered.

"I'm going to keep him with me over the weekend," Minerva spoke up.

"Minerva, I assure you I'll..."

"I know that Severus, but Harry doesn't. He can stay in my guest room for the time being, and if he still isn't well enough on Monday, Poppy might already be able to look after him," the Gryffindor Head of House replied firmly.

"If you're sure, Minerva," Severus gave in and proceeded to peer into Harry's eyes, mouth, and ears. "You are not to get up, Potter, except for using the bathroom. Your cold is so bad that it's on the verge of turning into pneumonia."

"I'll make sure that he remains in bed," Minerva promised.

"All right, since it's too bad to be cured with Pepper-up potion, I'll brew the potion against lung infection for him as well as the strongest fever reducer that we can give him. I'll be back as soon as both potions are finished, probably after the first afternoon class."

"Thakk you, Professor," Harry mumbled hoarsely.

"You're welcome, Potter," Severus replied, and Harry noticed in surprise that his voice didn't hold any sign of malice. Unbeknownst to the boy, the Potions Master spelled a Sleeping potion straight into his stomach, causing Harry to fall asleep in the blink of an eye.

"Thanks Severus," Minerva said gratefully, when Severus picked the boy up and carefully carried him into her guest room, putting him down on the bed.

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When Harry woke up the next time, he found himself in a comfortable bed in an unknown room, and as he could see through the window it was already getting dark outside. His Head of House was sitting on the edge of his bed, reading a book.

"How are you feeling, Harry?" Minerva asked softly, noticing that the boy had finally woken up.

"Fine," he replied automatically, causing the teacher to let out a snort.

"I believe that immediately," she replied, picking up the thermometer from the night table. "In that case, let me take your temperature, and then you should eat dinner."

"No," Harry groaned and nearly gagged when Minerva used that instant to stick the thermometer in, shutting him up.

While they were waiting, the professor gently wiped his flushed face with the cool cloth, receiving a grateful look from Harry, who noticed that he still felt absolutely awful. His nose didn't feel so stuffed up anymore, but his throat had become much worse, and he still had a splitting headache.

"40.6," Minerva informed him. "Do you think you can eat some soup for me?"

"No," Harry croaked. I don't want anything; my throat's too sore, and I'm not hungry."

Minerva sighed. "All right, I will ask Professor Snape for a nutrient potion when he comes the next time." Seeing that Harry threw her a surprised look, she elaborated, "Professor Snape comes every few hours to check on you, and he even promised to take turns with me during the night."

"I'b sorry to be such a burden," Harry mumbled in a small voice, before he let out a series of sneezes.

"Bless you, Harry, and you're not a burden," Minerva replied calmingly, gently helping the boy to sit up, so that he could blow his nose and take his potions. "I can understand that you didn't want to stay in Professor Snape's care, considering how he has been treating you during the last five and a half years."

"Thank you Professor," Harry replied sincerely. "I don't know why he hates me so much."

Minerva sighed. "He doesn't hate you, Harry. On the contrary; he loves you as if he was your godfather. In fact, your mother, Professor Snape, and I were very close when you were born. We often met you when you were a baby, and we often babysat you."

Seeing that Harry was listening intensely, she continued thoughtfully, "I don't know if you noticed while you were at the Dursleys that you often recovered from illnesses surprisingly fast, sometimes even in the blink of an eye. Professor Snape often watched you, and he sometimes spelled calming draughts into your stomach when you were crying or healing potions when you were ill."

"Is that really true?" Harry asked unbelievingly. '_With the potions that's definitely true_,' he thought. '_I sometimes wondered how something could go away from one moment to the next_.' He turned his eyes to the professor. "But why did he never speak to me or show himself to me?"

Minerva sighed. "Professor Dumbledore forbade us to get into contact with you. He doesn't know that we both frequently checked on you in our Animagus forms."

"The cat!" Harry blurted out, suddenly remembering the kitty that he often played with when he was small.

"Of course, that was me. You know my Animagus form, don't you?" Minerva smiled at the child.

"Well, yes, but I never noticed before. It's so long ago. But there weren't any other animals I played with. What is Professor Snape's Animagus form then?" Harry asked in confusion.

"A snake," Minerva replied, smiling when she noticed a sign of surprised recognition flash in Harry's glassy eyes.

"But why does he behave as if he hated me so much?"

"That's because of his role as a spy. I often suggested to him that he should speak with you in private, but he insists that it would be more natural, if you didn't know about his real motives."

"So he doesn't really hate me," Harry said weakly, unconsciously rubbing his forehead.

"Not at all; he is even pestering Professor Dumbledore about offering you a teaching position after your seventh year," Minerva replied, throwing the boy a fond smile.

"He what?" Harry blurted out, ending up in a coughing fit.

Minerva sighed, giving the child a concerned look. "Harry, I believe we should continue this discussion tomorrow or on Sunday when you'll feel better. You're very ill, and you need to rest now. I'm going to leave all the doors open, so that you can call me if you need me, even during the night. And don't be surprised when Professor Snape comes to check on you during the night."

"I'b sorry Professor, but I deed to use the bathroob," Harry told the teacher in a small voice, feeling very embarrassed.

"No problem," Minerva replied calmingly and gently helped the boy to get up and walk over to the small bathroom, where she patiently waited outside to give Harry some privacy.

"Thakk you Professor," Harry mumbled in relief, when he was back in his bed. Seconds later, he drifted off to sleep.

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A few hours later, Harry was just captured in a fever induced nightmare, when all of a sudden Severus entered the room to check on the boy like he had promised Minerva. When he stepped over to the child's bed and pulled his wand, Harry struggled to bring himself into a sitting position and scrambled back against the far wall, mumbling, "Doe Ucle, please dod't, I'b sorry, I wod't do it agaid."

"Harry," Severus said in his soft, silky voice, "I'm not your uncle, I'm Professor Snape, and I came to check on you and help you feel better. You're safe at Hogwarts in Professor McGonagall's quarters, and nobody will do you any harm. Lie down and let me check on you." Seeing that Harry looked in his direction, obviously calming down, he carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and held out his hand for Harry. "Come here, and I'll help you lie down," he coaxed the child.

"Pfessor Sdape?" Harry finally asked in confusion.

"Yes, it's me, Harry. I'm going to check on you, all right?"

"Kay," Harry mumbled hoarsely.

Severus waved his wand over Harry several times, before he put his wand away, pulling several phials out of his pockets. He gently helped Harry to swallow the potions, observing that the boy sighed in relief as they took effect.

"Thakk you Professor," Harry mumbled, already half asleep.

"You're welcome Harry," Severus replied, carefully tucking him in, before he retired to his own quarters to finally get some sleep.

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Harry spent most of the next day delirious with a very high fever, while Minerva and Severus took turns looking after him. On Sunday morning, his cold was nearly gone, and his fever broke, although it was still high.

"Are you feeling better, Harry?" Minerva asked gently, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

"Much better," Harry replied, relieved. '_Never before have I felt so cared for_,' he mused, feeling very grateful towards Minerva and Severus. "Now only my head is sore, and I'm still feeling a bit dizzy. Professor, on Friday evening, you said something about Professor Snape was suggesting something that I should do after finishing Hogwarts. Could you explain that to me please?"

Minerva sighed. "Well," she began hesitantly, "Professor Dumbledore wants to retire within the next two years, and when he retires, I'm going to become Headmistress, so that we'll need a new teacher for Transfiguration. Since Professor Snape is very concerned about your safety, he doesn't want you to become an Auror but instead wants you to remain in a safe position at Hogwarts, and of course I share his opinion completely. However, there is one problem, even if you'd be willing to take the post next year."

"And what would that be?" Harry asked, completely amazed by the planning his teachers were doing over his head.

Letting out another sigh, Minerva continued, "The Transfiguration professor has to be an Animagus in order to teach the Animagus transformation. I think that this is a stupid regulation, since you were well able to teach even if you weren't able to transform."

Harry laughed. "Why is that a problem?" he asked, smirking.

Minerva threw him a confused glance. "Do you think it's easy to become an Animagus?" she asked in her usual stern voice.

"Yes," Harry replied, smiling at his Head of House, who frowned and worriedly leaned over to feel his forehead. Harry sighed. "You see, Professor, the real reason why I wanted to take the Animagus potion on Friday in spite of feeling horrible was that I thought after that class I could finally openly show my Animagus form. I've been an Animagus for over a year now, and I'd love to teach Transfiguration, if you believe that I was good enough for the position."

Before Minerva could answer, Harry closed his eyes and transformed into a beautiful griffin. He slowly opened his eyes again and looked straight into his teacher's stunned face.

"Beautiful, Harry, well done," Minerva mumbled in complete amazement. "I'm going to reserve the position for you."

**The End**

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As usual, I'm not a native speaker of English, so please excuse my mistakes or inform me about them, so that I can correct them.

_All recognizable characters belong to __Mrs. Rowling__, and I am not earning anything by writing this story._


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